“Expect to be upset by this book, to be shocked, to be excited - and to enjoy every minute of the experience.”—M.M. Lewis, Entrepreneur Coach

A forbidden love draws the Mafia into fighting Radical Islam

An affair between Marlon, a politically correct history teacher, and Jamila Khan, his young student, must be kept a secret. Jamila works covertly toward liberating women oppressed by radical Islamism.

As Marlon awakens to the dark underbelly of orthodox Islam, a turn of events leads to Marlon becoming a fugitive charged with murder. Jamila’s testimony can free him, but her eyewitness account could incur a death fatwa from the Islamic orthodoxy. Marlon won’t let her risk herself.

Hunted by Scotland Yard, and betrayed by England, Marlon must now work with the men he once loathed—his Sicilian uncles. Jamila’s life, and his, depend on it.

About the Author

Vinay Kolhatkar is the author of A Sharia London, a romantic thriller in which a forbidden love draws the Mafia into fighting Radical Islam, and The Frankenstein Candidate, a literary fiction novel about a billionaire who runs in a U.S. presidential election as an independent. Vinay studied screenwriting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and The Story Department in Sydney and at ScreenwritingU (LA) and has written screenplays for film and television. He likes to merge screenwriting techniques such as cliffhanger scene endings and sub-textual dialogue, with character transformation and literary prose, to accomplish a cinematic novel.

Vinay is the Editor-in-chief of, and a columnist at, Savvy Street (www.thesavvystreet.com), an e-zine dedicated to furthering Individualism. He obtained a Masters degree in Journalism with High Distinction from UNSW.

This time around, the tables are turned. It’s my decision. Second chances do exist, but I don’t know if we can repair what’s already been broken . . .

** This is a STANDALONE **

Corinne Michaels is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of The Salvation Series (Beloved, Beholden, Consolation, Conviction & Defenseless). She's an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife. After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness. Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were librarians, which only intensified her love of reading. After years of writing short stories, she couldn't ignore the call to finish her debut novel, Beloved. Her alpha heroes are broken, beautiful, and will steal your heart. Newsletter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page | Corinne Michaels Facebook Group

Dean “DeBaz” Bazner is a Professional Surfer, private about his past and quiet about his future. Like any famous professional athlete he’s got the talent and sponsors, but he hasn’t clinched a World Title since his rookie year. Now in his thirties, with a career clock ticking, he’s pushing his limits to get to number one again. When a travel writer named Azure Thomas is assigned to observe his journey between events, what seems like a dangerous diversion, both in and out of the water, forces him to accept that there’s more missing from his life than another trophy.

She doesn’t know anything about surfing. She doesn’t drool over his celebrity. And she sure as hell doesn’t ask others to haul her crap around. Azure Thomas has been taking care of herself for most of her thirty years, and this is just another assignment in the changing world of freelance journalism. What she doesn’t expect is an athlete who relates to her profound loss and has sacrificed everything except his soul to get to the top of his sport. Dean is more than the hot surfer splashed across magazines and surfing is more than a hobby. Is it possible that what she can’t live without is chasing the next big swell?

It’s clear right away which of the four men on the porch in front of her is Dean. His confidence and physique are superb. Although the Latino man could easily pass as a competitor, Dean’s bleached hair in its slightly wavy shag fits the stereotype. She wasn’t expecting him to smolder though. His jaw is too chiseled, and his chest muscles are too thick. Sure, surfers are in great shape, but she thought they were lean, vegan types. This was a meat eater. A strong, tall, carved, carnivorous man. She can feel her pulse pounding when he stands to greet her. If she lacked all self-control, his cobalt eyes would’ve sold her the moon.

Dean***

Dean’s playing spades on his porch with the guys when he sees Lennox and Moses walking with a beautiful, tall brunette. Her long yellow sundress flows in the breeze like a flag waving for his attention. Even through all that fabric Dean can see her hips swaying naturally as the cotton clings to her body. Before he can survey her bare breasts underneath, she raises her eyes towards him. Even at a distance, they glow like the ocean, adding a spark to her perfect smile. It’s worse than he dreaded. He can handle pretty or attractive, but this woman is beautiful.
Moses stops to show her something, stealing those eyes away and Dean flinches. Not holding her attention stings a bit. He drops the cards in his hand, giving up. There’s no way he can deal with real distractions right now, in life or a card game.

The other guys turn and stare. The way she genuinely listens and reacts to everything is intoxicating to watch. She doesn’t carry herself like a beach bunny, but her skin is just as golden. Her long brown hair isn’t being twirled or tossed by a nervous hand, it just flows naturally, never shaking her poise. Most of the women in Dean’s past walked with a false confidence. Especially Abigail. She was always ready for a photo through a veil that sheltered her from the world’s honest eyes. This woman in yellow is different. She doesn’t need to be patronized or complimented, and her laugh is so unguarded and full.

Fuck. She’s gotta knows she’s beautiful. She wouldn’t have traveled in that if she didn’t. He stands as casually as he can manage wondering if she’s going to be a bitch. Part of him hopes she is so it’ll be easy to blow her off, but her laid back shoulders and relaxed smile hint that she’s pretty cool. He blurts out, “Welcome to Fiji,” wincing at the sound of his own voice. I sound like a fuckin’ idiot. He cracks his knuckles gently at his side until her cheeks flush a little.

Author Bio:

A. L. Goulden has a BFA in Film Production from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Her love of a good story came way before college, but when numerous instructors and peers praised her dialogue she realized her creative writing hobby was a skill worth honing. Her 18 year career in interior design, production design and art direction for film and television have spun a unique perspective on visually emotional tales of relationships and the thread that ties all things together.

“With an ending that will leave you panting for more, this is one novel you need to pick and read today.” - Books and Boys Book Blog

“That ending......OH MMMM GEEEE!!!!! I was so excited yet hollllyy crap my jaw was dropping to the floor!!! I can't get book 2 in my hands soon enough!!!” - Goodreads Reviewer

My name is Melodi White, I had a dream once like every other girl does. Then one day, my dream was torn to shreds, by my sister’s evil boyfriend, Jacob. It’s been three years since she was ripped from my life. She wasn’t just any sister; no, she was my twin, my best friend.Deciding to follow our childhood dream of moving to New York, I head for a life of adventure and fun. A night on the town and I find myself wrapped in the arms of one gorgeous, drop-dead-sexy man, Corban. He has literally swept me off my feet, taken my breath away with a single kiss and left me wanting more, a feeling completely alien to me.Corban Andrews, CEO of Case Construction, rich, sexy and ravishing is set to make my world come undone. I allow myself to put my trust in him, but will his rules and my trust issues let us explore what we could have together? It’s either that or am I at risk of staying lost and alone.When a blast from my past reappears, I know I may be pushed so far down the rabbit hole, Corban and I just may not survive. It all comes down to survival and choices. I have no idea which I will choose.

**Please Note** This is Book 1 in a 2 book series.

I close my eyes briefly, rubbing them, and sighing a little too loud. His cologne surrounds my senses, making him more tempting by the minute. I open my eyes and he is mere inches away, causing my breath to hitch and quicken. My heart rate spikes. It’s a good thing I’m not strapped to a heart monitor; that would be embarrassing.

I look up into his blazing blue eyes. He smiles, causing them to brighten. I want to kiss him and before I can stop myself, I give into my urge. Leaning forward and crashing my lips to his, I take him completely by surprise. My nerves are shot and shattered with the touch; my lips burn as he responds. He gently kisses me, erupting my insides like a volcano spurting out lava. His kiss and touch burns, leaving his traces on my skin.

Our kiss deepens, which arouses every part of my body. I want to touch and memorise every inch of him. I run my hands through his hair, pulling him toward me. I need him closer like a person needs air. I need him.

His hand comes up, cupping my cheek. He slowly pulls away from me. Our foreheads rest against each other’s. our breathing is erratic and my body feels as though an electric current is coursing through it. I want more of him, to taste his kisses and more. The thought excites me.

“Melodi,” he breathes, lifting my face to look at him. His eyes flame with desire. “As much as I want to devour every inch of you, I can’t.” I’m crushed; my heart stops for a second, thinking over his words. Perhaps he came here to end it, or whatever it is this was. I don’t think it was categorized as anything except a fling.

Yep, I knew I shouldn’t have fallen for this gorgeous man. He is going to break me. I’ve spent my life building up these walls so I don’t get hurt. I was happy to be alone, and then along comes Corban turning my world upside down with his sexy blue eyes, confidence, caring, and, well, his muscular, damn fine body.

Liz is from bright sunny Queensland, Australia. She has always been a reader. When she was little she would be up late reading Garfield and Asterix comic books and also Footrot Flats. When she hit high school she read Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden and from there her love of books continued to grow. She always has a book to read beside her bed along with a note book for when inspiration hits at those crazy hours. She is a stationary addict and a one click addict. She loves everything books, authors and of course loves chocolate and lollies to keep her going.

Parties and orgies... those are the things Carlos Carmichael wants to do. It's the only way he knows to deal with his life as the son of a notorious cartel boss. He'll get whatever he wants by any means necessary.

Until he tangles with a man who plays by totally different rules. Dante Orsino has been raised in the old ways of honor, loyalty and respect of the business. His role as mafia underboss is more than just a job. It also makes him an heir to one of the biggest families in the Southern Territories. When Carlos meets Dante and plays a silly game, their weekend tryst sparks a deadly cartel war. For Dante there's no other life except—the life. And he wants Carlos in his. But in the New World, a gay man is a dead man. Can he find a way to keep everything he loves and stay alive? In a new world gone mad, even the good guys are bad. Welcome to the World's End series.

At the bar, I ordered brandy, swallowed a sip, and then took the curved stairs up to the VIP area. Men sat on dark leather sofas arranged so they overlooked the main jam-packed club area below. I found a single-seater armchair in the corner of the lounge to perch on, my back to the wall.

I never liked sitting in a room with my back exposed. I preferred to see trouble before it found me. Problems were never far away, vacation or not.

From here, I watched male dancers in nothing but jockstraps on raised, caged platforms dotted around the club, sweat and glitter making their toned bodies glisten.

After tossing back the shot, I caught the eye of a young waiter who sauntered over and took my refill order. Waiting for the drink, I took my time to survey the other people in the lounge. A group of three thirty-something-year-old men sat in the section next to mine. Two of them looked like a couple by the way they touched each other.

The third met my gaze and flashed a set of white teeth as he smiled. Arching his brow and lifting his hand, he enquired if he could come over. He was good-looking with dark- brown hair and a well-built body under the t-shirt. Even his trousers seemed to hide a reasonably-sized shaft.

I tried to picture holding the man down, kicking out his legs and taking him over the table. My cock gave an unenthusiastic twitch. I was still too tense to entertain company. With an almost imperceptible shake of my head, I dissuaded him from getting up. The man shrugged and tipped his drink in salute.

The waiter brought my refill. I took a sip and relaxed into the leather chair, welcoming the gentle alcoholic haze in my mind that stripped away my agitation. My gaze trawled, exploring every male form in sight.

Another group of men sat a few sofas away. These were younger than me, too fresh-faced to be nothing more than just barely legal. Boisterous, they talked and laughed in loud voices, drawing attention.

I spotted him and my world skewed.

The boy—he appeared more boy than man—was whispering something to the person sitting next to him, when his blond lashes lifted in a slow, teasing manner.

My heart stopped and my skin prickled. If I wasn’t usually cool under duress, I would’ve been drooling.

The lad was what? Twenty? Twenty-one? Cute as hell in a smart mint-green polo shirt and navy trousers made of expensive shiny fabric that clung to a lean body. He came across as prep-school material and looked young enough to still be in college. Face like a fucking angel, dirty blond hair that flopped over his face, and pink lips that pouted in the way fashion models did.

I had no problem picturing the gioventù on his knees, that mouth stretched around my girth.

As he rose from the sofa, his dark and huge eyes shone with mischief. One of his friends laughed and lowered his head toward the low table, a rolled note in his right hand.

Columns of white powder lined the glass-topped surface and the man leaned over, sniffing half of the line before he straightened and repeated the action with the other nostril. Finally, he tilted his head back, pinching his nose.

My lip curled down, my jaw tightened, and I averted my gaze. The drug remained illegal, but just like homosexuality, it was freely available in Exilado for the right price.

I shouldn’t begrudge the young men their vices any more than I should condemn myself for having sex with other men. Still, I couldn’t help the weight of disappointment that settled on my shoulders. I’d seen the damage addictive drugs could wreck on perfectly normal lives. I’d taken an oath to keep the toxic substances out of Vincenzo territories. San Torino wasn’t my turf and there was nothing I could do other than ignore the young men snorting the white powder.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Blond boy had ambled over and stood only inches away, his lips curled in a ten kilo-watt smile.

My gaze held captivating eyes of dark green. For a moment, I forgot my disgust at what I’d just seen the gioventù’s friend do and simply admired the specimen before me. The flawless skin, the perfect nose, and the slender body of a person on the cusp of manhood made me increasingly aware of my own increasing heart beat.

Damn. He was beautiful. I didn’t think I’d ever described another man with such a word, which reminded me exactly why the lad wasn’t my type. I liked them tougher than he looked. Not delicate. Not someone I had to worry about breaking.

"I've got a drink." I gave a gruff reply and lifted my glass to my lips but I might as well have been drinking water as all my senses honed in on the person in front of me.

Undeterred, the boy lowered his body in the chair opposite and extended his hand. "I'm Carl. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

I stared at the manicured, slender fingers that didn't look as if they'd seen a day's labour, reinforcing the feeling Carl wasn't for me. It didn't stop me from picturing them stroking my skin as my cock sprang to life.

"I didn't invite you to join me." My tone remained cool, in contrast to the heat riding my blood.

"You didn't."

"I'm not interested."

"I bet I could make you interested." Carl leaned across and settled his hand on my thigh.

Kai loves writing stories about forbidden men and relentless love, about gangsters with heart, antiheroes who do what they need to do to survive in a crazy world. These men commit to the lives they lead 100%—with heart, body and soul and when they fall in love you can be sure they bring the same level of passionate devotion to the people they love. Kai's debut dystopian MM romance novel, Duce, was an All Romance eBooks Top 50 Bestseller when it came out in 2015. Visitwww.kaityler.com to connect with Kai.

Release Date: June 22, 2016The Bad Boys are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.

Indulge your inner vixen... You asked for naughtier lovers, with the same fierce loyalty as The Bradens - Meet the Bad Boys... Four sinfully sexy, uber alpha brothers, about to fall head over heels for their leading ladies. Everything's naughtier after dark... Amanda Jenner is done being a boring-man magnet and has finally taken control of her love life. As any smart paralegal would, she's researched the hell out of how to seduce a man. She's waxed, primped, and ready to put her newfound skills into action--and a masquerade bar crawl is the perfect venue for her solo coming-out party. Entertainment attorney Mick Bad lives by two hard and fast rules. He never mixes business with pleasure, and he doesn't do relationships, which makes the anonymity of a masquerade bar crawl the perfect place for a onetime hookup. Amanda thinks she's hit the jackpot when she bags a tall, dark, and sinfully delicious masked man--until she discovers the man she's made out with is her off-limits boss. Mick's already crossed a line he can never uncross, and one taste of sweet and sexy Amanda has only whet his appetite. When Mick offers to give Amanda a lesson in seduction--no strings, no regrets, and for goodness' sake, come Monday, no quitting--the tables turn, and Mick's totally unprepared for the lessons this sweet temptress provides.

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine. Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family. Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

In a small town, there sits a house at the top of a hill. Mystery surrounds the couple that lives there. What the town doesn't know is that they are vampires. One night, Scarlett and Corbin decide to take a slave. Some of the townspeople decide to uncover the secrets of the house, starting with that man's ex-fiancee, Naomi. Once she learns the truth, she becomes a target. Even her brother Wesley thinks she's gone insane, but he soon discovers that there is much more to the story. He finds that he is the very spectacle of Scarlett and Corbin’s schemes. He and a band of unlikely friends must unite to save the town, and the world along with it.

The fog suddenly consumed him and he screamed as loud as he could. When everything was clear again, he saw that he was in a house. He was in a room that was lit by candles. The walls were covered in red wallpaper and the curtains were black. The room struck him as being old. The decorations weren’t normal. There were skeletons and things that looked like claws, cauldrons and crystals. There was at least one cross on every wall. What was this place and how had he gotten there? As his mind filled with worried thoughts, two people came into the room. One was a man and the other was a woman. The man was very handsome. He had dark brown hair and captivating brown eyes. Abel couldn’t look away from them and he didn’t know why. He managed to tear his eyes away from the man and look over to the woman. She was one of the most beautiful brunettes he had ever seen. Her hair was long, well past her shoulders. Her lovely brown eyes matched the darker shades of her hair. “Hello, Abel,” she said with an excited smirk. How did she know his name? “He…hello…” “Do you know where you are?” He shook his head. “Do you know who we are?” He shook his head again. “You’re going to be our new slave,” the man said, “My name is Corbin, and this incredibly sexy creature is Scarlett.” Abel now noticed that he was laying on a bed. He sat up and cushioned his back against the pillows, forcing himself to remain calm until he knew what was happening. “I beg your pardon?” “You are going to be our slave.” Scarlett said this slowly, as if he was deaf or stupid. She was mocking his confusion. “This woman has no patience.” Corbin smiled admiringly at her. “Allow me to explain. We…are vampires. Now, we’re fairly new because she’s only one hundred years old. I’m two hundred years old. Nothing, really, compared to most vampires we know. Just the same, we’ve worked hard and wanted to reward ourselves with a servant.” Abel put his hand to his forehead to check his temperature. He didn’t have a fever. He sat there a minute, waiting for his head to start spinning. He had to be drunk out of his mind. That was the only explanation for this nonsense. “Vampires don’t exist…they aren’t real…” “Everyone has the same reaction.” Scarlett sighed. “They say that vampires can’t be real, they drive themselves crazy trying to block out what they’re being told. Then we have to prove it to them.” Corbin smiled widely. The grin revealed two sharp fangs. Abel gasped in horror and looked over at Scarlett. She had fangs too. She was right; he was trying to block out what he was being shown. This couldn’t be real. “You’re not sick,” Corbin said, taking a step closer to him, “You’re not drunk and you’re not dreaming. You could call this a nightmare, except that it’s real.” “Before you become our permanent slave,” Scarlett began, “We have to have a taste test.” “A–a–a…taste…test?” Abel’s heart was racing again. He said it wasn’t a dream, but it had to be. These things only happened in books and movies. “Yes!” she said excitedly. “We have to see how sweet your blood is.” Abel tried to scramble out of bed, but Corbin was at his side in a flash and holding him down with one finger. He was obviously of enormous strength. Scarlett was now sitting next to him on the bed.

Laurencia Hoffman is the author of five published books; Casting Stones, A Wish for Remembrance, Wages of Sin: Bad Blood, Bittersweet, and Star Crossed: Worlds Apart (published under her legal name: Jolene Poole). Laurencia lives with her family in Michigan. When she's not writing she also enjoys making her own line of natural products, and watching films.

Lea Holder watched a boy die in the same DUI accident that ruined Lea’s legs and threw her little sister into a coma. As the only eye-witness to the accident, if she tells the truth in court, the drunk driver will go to prison and the dead boy’s family will have justice.

But Lea lies.

If she had told the truth, Lea would have put her own mom in prison for causing the accident. With the trial over and her mom set free, Lea attempts to rebuild her shattered life as she waits for her little sister to wake from her coma.

When Lea transfers schools, she finds herself in the same senior class as Seth Ashbury, the brother of the boy her mom killed. As Lea gets to know the person buried underneath Seth’s grief, she quickly falls for his quick wit and passionate soul. But Seth remains completely oblivious that Lea is the same girl who robbed his family of justice.

As their relationship deepens, Lea finally gets a taste of the love that’s been missing from her life since the accident. But soon she’s faced with a choice: she can continue her lies and accept the comfort it gives them both. Or she can tell Seth the truth about everything, and risk destroying both her family and her newfound love.

Every reasonable thought in my head disappears at the sound of his voice. It’s slightly different now—deep and strong, instead of choked with grief and dread. But the smooth tone is mostly the same as I remember it, and my gut twists painfully as a new set of footsteps approaches.

A sharp noise breaks through the sudden quiet, and I flinch, thinking for a split second that it’s the sound of tearing metal. But then I realize it’s the bark of a dog, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

I can’t do this. I have to do this, but I can’t do this.

“Seth!” Brie calls out. “Dude, you’re totally late. Again.”

He makes a low, disbelieving noise, something between a scoff and a chuckle. Now he sounds even closer. I take a deep breath and clench my hand tighter around my cane. If I don’t turn around and greet him, it’ll be obvious that I have an issue with him, but I can’t get my body to move.
“I’m fashionably late,” Seth tells Brie. “There’s a difference.”

“Yeah, there is,” Hannah says. “One is on time, and one isn’t. And only one is annoying, too.”

“Agreed,” he says. “You punctual people get so irritating.”

Hannah tosses a curse at him, but laughs to soften the impact. Then the footsteps stop, and something cold and wet nudges my wrist, right where my mitten ends. At first, I think someone’s pressing snow there, but then I feel a warm tongue lick the same spot.

I jerk back just as I hear Seth say, “Koda! You know I can hear that, you bad girl. No licking.” Then he says to the others, “Who’s she licking? She never does that to you guys.”

“That’s Lea,” Brie says. “She’s the new senior we got. Lea, this is Seth Ashbury. Seth, this is Lea Holder.”

My heart pounds a million beats per minute, and the adrenaline makes me strong enough to peel my eyes open. Looking down, I find myself staring right at Seth’s seeing eye dog. She looks just like she did at the trial, a regal German Shepherd mix with a glossy coat and wagging tail.

The dog nudges at me again with her nose, clearly expecting me to pet her. But instead I focus on the light-weight vest strapped to her back, letting my eyes follow the slim handle attached to it until I find myself staring at the guy gripping it.

Seth Ashbury stands right there, right in front of me. He also looks the same as he did during the trial—tall with lithe muscle, shaggy blond hair, and tan skin. He’s the spitting image of his older brother, right down to the sharp jawline and the way one side of his mouth lifts slightly higher than the other as he smiles.

A slim pair of sunglasses hides his blind eyes, but I’m betting they’re the same color as his brother’s. Parker’s eyes were shockingly blue, like a tropical sea, and their bright color contrasted sickeningly against the blood that dripped down his forehead after the accident.

I’m frozen. Maddie and Hannah giggle, probably thinking I’ve been stunned by Seth’s good looks. I’m sure any normal girl would consider him gorgeous, but I haven’t been normal in months, and nothing about Seth is beautiful to me. He’s just a reminder of crunching metal and squealing tires and my sister’s scream, her scream that seemed to echo and never, never, never end…

“Hey,” Seth says, holding out a hand in my general direction. “Nice to meet you.”

This is the part where I need to slap on a smile, recover from my brief awkwardness, and let myself go into robot mode. Shut down my emotions, boot up automatic functions. I reach my hand forward a little, and for a single moment, I think I’m going to pull this off.

But then I notice the slim chain around his neck, the one that has a small, silver medallion dangling from the end. The same medallion his brother was wearing when he died just feet away from me.

My gut twists, and my hand falls away, and I vomit all over his shoes.

Author Bio:

Olivia Rivers is a hybrid author of Young Adult fiction. Her works include the independently published novels “This is What Goodbye Looks Like” and “In the Hope of Memories,” along with the traditionally published novel “Tone Deaf” (Skyhorse 2016.) As a certified geek, she enjoys experimenting with new publishing technologies, and her online serials have received over 1,000,000 hits on Wattpad.com. When Olivia isn’t working as a writer, she’s a typical teen attending college in Northern California. Olivia is represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary, and nothing thrills her more than hearing from readers.

I've always been a fighter,
Even before I knew it was in my blood.
I fought the demons of my past.
I fought for my life.
I fought for the future I wanted.

Growing up in a foster home, after my father killed my mother,
I fought for who I was,
Who I could become.

And now, it's what I do, what I am.
My career is in the ring, taking down every opponent I face,
Every enemy who threatens me.
I fight.

But now, I've got the biggest fight of my life,
Fighting for her, the one I want,
The one I can't have.
Salem Harris is taken, but I swear to God,
She'll be mine, even if I go down for the count,
I'll fight like Hell for her,
Or die trying.

***Please note this book was formerly released as a two book series, On the Ropes and Going the Distance. It has been reedited and consolidated into one. Heavy sexual content including a F/F/M scene. If such a scene may upset you, this may not be the book for you.

Born and raised in New England, Christa is a married mother of three. She began writing her first book, Broken, in October 2012, as a love story to her husband, Frank. During the writing process, Christa managed to keep her book a secret from the majority of her family and friends, including her mother. She finally revealed that she had written a book on her personal Facebook page just two weeks before Broken was released.

Broken was released in February 2013, and within twenty-four hours of its release, it was on Amazon's Movers and Shakers list as well as in the Top 20 Erotica. Christa released her second novel, On the Ropes - Book One in the Down for the Count series, in February 2014. On the Ropes has also climbed the charts on Amazon, hitting the Top 10 Sports Fiction and the Top 20 Romance Sports Fiction lists. Book Two, Going the Distance, was released July 2014 and claimed the number 3 spot in the Interracial category as well being in the top 20 in Erotica on Amazon.

Three days of vacation. Two stepsisters. One mystery involving a ghost dressed in a leather hat, suit, and boots. Dominique and Jessica had no idea what awaited them during a weekend vacation with their parents. They expected fun and excitement, but instead ran into a ghost and a mystery. Long ago in Connecticut, a man in a patched leather suit and hat roamed the countryside, living in caves for more than thirty years. Carrying a sack, pipe, and prayer book, the man came to be known as the Old Leather Man. His death came with the blizzard of 1889, but who could have guess that he would return to haunt the stepsisters. A stolen wallet, a threatening anonymous letter, and a ghostly visit force the stepsisters into late-night sleuthing, all to uncover the history of the Old Leather Man. Can these teen detectives find the truth before the Old Leather Manâs ghost returns for good?

Excerpt:

Dominique shivered outside the bookstore, feeling alone, tired and battered by a negative wind chill that was normal for Connecticut in October. Her tingling, numb fingers agreed.

This sad bookstore situation was a waste of time and revealed to Dominique how little her stepsister, Jessica, understood the idea of family love and bonding. Dominique was not a reader. Didnât Jess recognize that more than ten minutes inside a bookstore was much, much too long?

Twenty minutes earlier, Dominique had entered the store with Jess. The walls were colorful, lined with every type of reading material imaginable. She had followed Jessica to the teen section, standing idle.

âIâm leaving,â Dominique said after ten minutes of complaining.

âFive more minutes,â Jess had begged. âLook, they have the next book in the series Iâm reading.â

âIâm so happy for you, but youâve used your five minutes plus some.â Dominiqueâs brown eyes flashed with annoyance, the light in the store highlighting the green flecks in them. Spinning around, her long dark hair whipped against her shoulders as she executed a neat turn and walked quickly through the store. She made a happy whistling sound as she exited the front door.

Twenty minutes was a long time in the cold. Outside, becoming more frostbit every moment, Dominiqueâs frustration leaked into her not so nice thoughts. For anyone other than Jessica, her rapid exit would have been a huge hint to hurry up and follow, but Jessica remained inside reading.

Dominique wanted to open the front door again and scream, âStop looking through the dumb books,â but yelling might not have gone over well with all the quiet, bookworm type people. Judging by the constant ticking of seconds echoing from Dominiqueâs bright orange Timex watch on her wrist, she was reminded how long sheâd been left waiting in what felt like sub-zero temperatures. It didnât matter much what Dominique did or said. Her stepsister, as usual, ignored her.

To occupy herself, she eyed the books on display in the front window of the bookstore, skimming the titles. She ignored most of them, until an ugly face on the cover of a book of Connecticut Legends looked back at her. She couldnât help but stare. The man pictured was round and his bulky brown leather suit made him seem monstrous. Eyes peeked out from under a large, round leather cap, focused on something beyond the photographer. A hand rested at his mouth, as if he might be shy. Fascinated by his odd appearance, she wondered who he was.

Long overdue, Jessica came out the door, a smile playing on her lips, blue eyes shining with happiness. âThat was so fun,â Jess told Dominique. âI got the next series Iâm reading and found a great book on dating and love. You have to read it after Iâm done.â

Boys flocked to Jess, who had already started dating at the age of thirteen.

âYeah, sure,â Dominique preferred horses to boys and could not imagine that ever changing.

Even with Jessicaâs company, Dominique could tell this was going to be a long, dull weekend filled with the boring events her parents called culture and entertainment.

Bio:

Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and adjunct instructor at the college level, holding an EdD in Educational Leadership. This is her fourth novel. In addition to writing fiction, she has contributed to local newspapers, news and travel blogs including The Patch and Hollywood Scriptwriter. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two daughters, three cats, dog, and horse, where she is an active part of the community. Her poetry won first place in a local writing competition and she is a judge in the annual town literary competition and arts festival.

About Me

I'm a Texas gal with a wonderful husband, an amazing six year old son, and an adorable newborn baby boy!​My blog is about the best things in life - cooking, books, giveaways and reviews of everyday products! ​This is a PR-friendly blog!!